In the routine maintenance of an above-ground or in-ground pool, it is required that the skimmer basket be removed and emptied on a daily basis. The pool skimmer basket is a central repository for debris that collects on the pool water surface during pool operation. Quite often live insects including hornets, spiders, and animals such as frogs, snakes, mice, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and moles, are trapped in the skimmer basket prior to the skimmer basket being removed for cleaning. The conventional way of removing the skimmer basket would be to remove the skimmer plate or cover by inserting your finger into the 1-inch hole and lifting it off and then grab the skimmer basket handle with your hand and remove it. This approach leaves the hand exposed in close proximity to and/or requires your hand to sift through the debris to find the handle, being vulnerable to a quickly escaping insect or animal and thus increases the chances of being bitten. Also, having to bend over creates another risk of potential back injury and having to kneel on the cement to remove the plate and basket can lead to throwing your back out and scraping your knees.